Easy Weekday Stir-Fry with Chinese Five Spice
- dkdspices
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Weeknight dinners can feel like a grind, and deciding what to make can be a chore. An easy weekday stir-fry with Chinese Five Spice is a simple way to get dinner on the table with minimal prep, using ingredients you likely already have in your fridge and pantry. Quick, flexible, and endlessly customizable, a stir-fry makes weeknight cooking both painless and delicious—especially with SPICE + LEAF Chinese Five Spice.
Let’s talk veggies. I always recommend keeping staples like broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, garlic, and onions on hand. If those aren’t your favorites, choose what you love. Other great options include celery, snow peas, or chopped cabbage.
I also like to keep cashews, fresh ginger, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), sesame oil, cornstarch, and a neutral cooking oil, such as avocado or vegetable oil, within reach.
Now for protein. You can use chicken, beef, tofu, or keep it completely veggie-forward. If you’re using beef, I recommend tenderizing it with a bit of baking soda before cooking for extra tenderness. Make sure you rinse the baking soda off the meat before cooking it. Chicken and tofu are also excellent choices; simply cook them first with a little SPICE + LEAF Chinese Five Spice Blend. Set them aside when you cook your vegetables. Then add them back at the end with your vegetables and sauce.
However you decide to make your stir-fry, a generous sprinkle of SPICE + LEAF Chinese Five Spice will instantly elevate the dish, bringing warmth, balance, and just the right touch of aromatic depth to your table.
Easy Weekday Stir-Fry with Chinese Five Spice
By Debbie Kornberg
(Serves 2 - 4)
Ingredients:
2 tsp. corn starch
3 Tbsp. water
¼ cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. SPICE + LEAF Chinese Five-Spice Spice Blend
1/2 cup raw whole cashews (sliced are fine too.)
2 Tbsp. avocado or canola oil
1/2 red or white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
2 cups broccoli florets (Make sure florets are small pieces)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper
2/3 cup carrots, shredded or thinly sliced
Instructions
Stir-Fry Sauce Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth and free of clumps. Add the coconut aminos (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, sesame oil, and SPICE + LEAF Chinese Five Spice Blend. Whisk until fully combined and set aside.
Toast the Cashews:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the cashews to the dry pan (no oil) and toast for about 2 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Vegetable Stir-Fry:
Add 2 Tbsp oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high.
Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté for 3–4 minutes.
Next, add the garlic, ginger, and broccoli. Cook for another 3–4 minutes.
Then add the bell peppers and carrots and cook an additional 3–4 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Return the toasted cashews to the pan and toss to combine.
Note: If adding protein, return it to the pan before adding the sauce.
Pour the prepared stir-fry sauce over the vegetables and stir continuously. The sauce will begin to thicken quickly, so make sure it evenly coats all the vegetables.
Serve immediately.
Optional Meat Preparation
Slice meat into 1 x ½-inch strips. Place in a bowl and toss with baking soda to coat evenly. Let sit for 20 minutes to tenderize.
Rinse the meat thoroughly under cold water to remove all baking soda. (If you skip this step, the meat may have a noticeable aftertaste.)
Pat dry completely.
Add meat to the stir-fry sauce. make sure it is coated well.
Heat 2 Tbsp canola oil in a large pan over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add only the meat (leave all excess sauce in the bowl for later use). Cook for 3–5 minutes, just until lightly browned and still slightly pink inside for tenderness.
Remove meat from pan and set aside. Add back meat to the vegetable stir-fry before pouring in the sauce an dcooking everything off.
